AJAB ANDAZ TUJHKO NARGIZ E MASTANA AATA HAI.

AJAB ANDAZ TUJHKO NARGIZ E MASTANA AATA HAI.

(Sayyad Baqar Haussain of Shahjanpur)

See the Qawali in youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXB7cYJtgOs

According to my limited understanding, the poetic expressions in the Qwalli/ghazal carry deep mystical ramifications-- of Ishq-Haqeeki misconstrued as Ishq –Mazazi in the Islamic canvas. The couplets are interwoven with intense love of a Murid for his Murshid (as the tavern keeper or Saki) whose goblet/cup of spiritual wine dispels his delusions of the Reality and non-Reality.  

The clerics and priestly class though they feel attracted towards the Saki/Murshid/ tavern keeper, yet remain sceptic about the Master Murshid as non- entity or an idol, and consider the Murid as an infidel or Kafir. Murid experiences self –Realization, but traditional Muslims consider him as an atheist who is devoted to an idol of a temple (belief in fake God).

There are introspective insights of impediments on the journey of a seeker ambushed by doubting mind and the rivalry from the organized religious establishment.

Upon death of the Murid, the Murshid pays tributes at the graveyard on the life of his disciple of Divine intoxication as “Life well lived” or “the one who achieved Wahdat”, while others including gods and goddesses fail to appreciate the glory of the soul of the Murid and continue to classify him non-Muslim.  

(Translation below is as recorded in youtube-video.)

Madhosh bayak saaki aye peer e mughan kardi	The tavern keeper has intoxicated me with a single cup of wine.
Dil burdi o jaan burdi be taabo tabah kardi..	He snatched my body and soul and left me totally defenceless.
Naqaab usne ulat kar yeh haqiqat mujhe pe ulna ki…	By lifting the veil he revealed this truth to me.
Yaha par khatam ho jaati hai behas kufre imaan ki..!!	At this point the controversy/boundaries of belief and disbelief disappears.
Ajab andaz tujhko nargiz e mastana aata hai…	Oh sly narcissus (conceited beauty) what strange vile(manipulation) of intoxication you possess.
Ke har hoshiyar banne ko yaha diwana aata hai…!	The wise men come to you, seeking the gift of madness.
Koi Zahid ho wahid ho…be-tabana aata hai	All pious and preachers rush madly rush to you.
Samjhme jiski irade baad-o-paimana aata hai…	Who can decipher the mystery of this cup of wine

Wohi masjid se uth kar jaani be mehkhana aata hai..!!	They sneak from the Masjid and come to the Tavern
Haqiqat me hai nigahe dekhne ki hai haqiqat ko	In truth, the eyes can see the Eternal Truth
Chupa sakte nahi kasrat ke parde rang e wahdat ko	The abundance and variety of the creation cannot hide the Oneness of Divinity.
Zamana kya samjh sakta hai unke kufre e ulfat ko	The world cannot understand the blasphemous (fake) love
nazar e buth me bhi jisko jalwa e janana aata hai.!	Where they see love in the Idol as the  manifestation of  Divine love.
Kari hai daer me voh sajde e rezi aine masti me…	In my intoxication, I have made so many prostrations in the temples of idols.
Mujhe kafir lage kehne musalmano ki basti me	That I was declared infidel in the community of Muslims.
Nazar aati nahi kuch apni hasti apni hasti me…	I see nothing of myself when I peer (scrutinise) inside myself.

Kuch aisa khoo gaya hai dil k haatho buth parasti me…	My heart has ensnared me so deeply in the ways of idolatry.
Jidhar jaata hu mere saamne buth khaana aata hai…!!	That I see the idol’s temple, whichever way I turn.
Har ghaffaz ko baqir dur e Irfan nahi milta…	Baqir, not every diver can emerge from the sea with pearls of Knowledge
Nahi is raah me maqsood e dil aasaan nahi milta	In this path, it is not possible for all to fulfil desire of their heart..
Kabhi gulshan me kaanta be gule khanda nahi milta…	In gardens, flowers are never available without sharp thorns.
Naa guzre kufr se jab tk kabhi imaan nahi milta	One cannot aspire to attain faith without navigating the labyrinth of doubt.
Ke pehle toh haram ki raah me buth khaana aata hai	On the way to real Mosque first comes the temple of idols( ignorance)
Naa hasil hai sukoon sehra me or naa dil ko pasti me…	Be it wilderness or civilization, my heart cannot find peace.

Bulandi par guzar hota na mera hota pasti me	I can neither dwell in lofty heights or sunken depths
Khabar takbeer nahi toh meher o ulfat parasti me..	In the pursuit of loving and  intense devotion,I have  lost all sense of space and time.
Hijab e gaib ke pardeh uthe kuch kaif masti me	When the veils of my sweet intoxication lift for a brief moment
Naa jaane kiski hasti dekhta hu apni hasti me…!!	I do not recognise the person masquerading as me.
Me hu woh rind meri zindagi mehkhaane me guzri	I am the drunkard whose entire life was spent in the tavern.
Meri izzat kiya karte the sufi Zahid or mufti…	I was highly respected amongst the mystics, preachers and the Jurists.
Meri turbat pe aake khud yeh saaki ne dua maangi…	By my graveside the tavern keeper uttered the prayer--
Khuda bakshe bahut acchi guzari me-parasti me	May the Lord bless him for he lived a life of intoxication and lived it well.

Ke pinha aatish e furqat ke sine me bahut sholay	In my heart, burned the hidden flames of separation
Nazar thi chaar rooh meri farishte leke jab pahonche…	I was aware when the angels came to collect my soul.
Tarashe-e-buth buthi ko dekh kar Jannat me yun bole…	Upon seeing me in paradise, its beauteous inhabitants exclaimed
yeh kafir q bhala aya musalmano ki basti me…!	Who let this infidel inside the dwelling place of Muslims?

PARESHAN HO KE MERI ḲHAAK-- ALLAMA IQBAL

PARESHAN HO KE MERI ḲHAAK

ALLAMA IQBAL

pareshāñ ho ke merī ḳhaak āḳhir dil na ban jaa.e

jo mushkil ab hai yā rab phir vahī mushkil na ban jaa.e

na kar deñ mujh ko majbūr-e-navā firdaus meñ hūreñ

mirā soz-e-darūñ phir garmi-e-mahfil na ban jaa.e

kabhī chhoḌī huī manzil bhī yaad aatī hai raahī ko

khaTak sī hai jo siine meñ ġham-e-manzil na ban jaa.e

banāyā ishq ne dariyā-e-nā-paidā-karāñ mujh ko

ye merī ḳhud-nigah-dārī mirā sāhil na ban jaa.e

kahīñ is ālam-e-be-rañg-o-bū meñ bhī talab merī

vahī afsāna-e-dumbāla-e-mahmil na ban jaa.e

urūj-e-ādam-e-ḳhākī se anjum sahme jaate haiñ

ki ye TuuTā huā taarā mah-e-kāmil na ban jaa.e

परेशाँ हो के मेरी ख़ाक (dust/nothingness) आख़िर दिल न बन जाए

जो मुश्किल अब है या रब फिर वही मुश्किल न बन जाए//

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न कर दें मुझ को मजबूर-ए-नवाँ(helpless in saying) फ़िरदौस (heaven) में हूरें

मिरा (mine) सोज़-ए-दरूँ (latent inflammation or passion) फिर गर्मी-ए-महफ़िल ( warmth of assembly) न बन जाए

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कभी छोड़ी हुई मंज़िल भी याद आती है राही को

खटक (attention) सी है जो सीने में ग़म-ए-मंज़िल (sorrowful destination) न बन जाए

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बनाया इश्क़ ने दरिया-ए-ना-पैदा- कराँ (river without shore) मुझ को

ये मेरी ख़ुद-निगह-दारी ( self importance) मिरा साहिल (shore) न बन जाए

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कहीं इस आलम-ए-बे-रंग-ओ-बू (meaningless world devoid of color and smell) में भी तलब मेरी

वही अफ़्साना-ए-दुंबाला-ए-महमिल ( continuing story of camel’s journey) न बन जाए

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उरूज-ए-आदम-ए-ख़ाकी (pinnacle attained by dust of Adam) से अंजुम (stars) सहमे (scared) जाते हैं

वही अफ़्साना-ए-दुंबाला-ए-महमिल ( continuing story of camel’s journey) न बन जाए

Please listen to the original recital of the Klaam by Sanam Marvi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1PQLUSuy_s

परेशान कारोबर–ऐ–अश्नायी, परेशान तर रंगीन नवाई// कभी में ढूँढता हूँ लजते-वस्ल, खुश अता है कभी सोज़-ऐ-जुदाई //

Confused is the nature of love for thee. More confused is my song for thy praise. Sometimes I seek bliss of meeting thee, And yet at times, I feel bliss in the pain of your separation.

लजते-वस्ल= Bliss of your presence

सोज़-ऐ-जुदाई= pain of separation

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SUMMARY—THE KLAAM IS ABOUT DEVOTIONAL LOVE AND FEAR OF A MYSTIC

The original sweetness of verses in a different language cannot be translated as per the conceptual compositions especially when the poetry is of emotional and mystical flavour of inner reality with imagery and symbolism of objects of outer world. It is also not possible to fathom the mood of love, fear, unknowingness, uncertainty and ecstasy of poet when he speaks of ascension of thoughts and consciousness to which Iqbal alone is privy.

The readers at best can take a leaf of wisdom from their utterances provided they have some understanding of mile stones of spiritual journey. Herein each verse of Iqbal needs not only superficial translation but deeper introspection of para-normal experiences.

1              परेशाँ हो के मेरी ख़ाक (dust/nothingness) आख़िर दिल न बन जाए

जो मुश्किल अब है या रब फिर वही मुश्किल न बन जाए //

What if the peace of my grave is shattered by my heart's piercing wail!
What if my death transmutes to a Life of another Love & Heartbreak Tale! ( internet)

Here “मेरी ख़ाक” is referred as grave (nothingness) or “शून्य” or “Fnaa” –an exalted state of Reality—to be shattered by compulsions of wayward mind that may inhibit experience of Oneness with the Lord  (Wahdat-वहदत) and denial in the state of Fnaa-Fi-Allah or salvation or Najat (नजात)   

Iqbal mention of “परेशाँ”-- state of confusion is filled with awe when experiencing a feeling of elimination of his ego-self. He is scared that after annihilation of self (“मेरी ख़ाक”) my dust may not transmute back to (“दिल”) heart or mind, with all its tricks, fickleness, weaknesses, attachments for corporeal life—that has kept soul imprisoned in bodily cage, defying realization of the Divinity.

“जो मुश्किल”—the difficulty or impediment of “duality”, that kept the soul in oblivion of its Supreme Soul, may not arise yet again due to antics of mind. “Duality” and “Devil” is the same thing when applied to experience of totality of Reality as both represents state of denial for the seeker.

2              न कर दें मुझ को मजबूर-ए-नवाँ(helpless in saying) फ़िरदौस (heaven) में हूरें

मिरा (mine) सोज़-ए-दरूँ (latent inflammation or passion) फिर गर्मी-ए-महफ़िल ( warmth of assembly) न बन जाए

What if Eden's Angels & Hours provoke me into a swaying poetic trance!
What if my verse of Passion Pure propels them into a mad frenetic dance!  (Internet)

An apparent meaning --- In the process of my upward journey, Maids of Eden or women of heaven or angelic cravings of astral beauty may not engage my attention and that may infatuate me with warmth of celestial passion and celebrations.

But for a mystic, this verse reflects of deeper sense of engagement. All Sufis do “Touba” (तौबा)— the first requirement of Tussavf (means detachment and total exclusion from the pull of world) for refraining themselves from mental and material cravings appetites. The metaphysical dimension whose splendor and magnificence Iqbal is unaware of –--he is concerned that his resolve of keeping the self in state immaculate nobility and balance may not compromised.

Even heavens are considered sites of pleasures of mind region where propensity of forgetfulness of the Lord is greater than on the material plane. In human life, the intermittent periods of pain( on the physical plane) continue to awaken our attention for seeking the Lord. There is analogical verse in Guru Granth Sahib by Guru Nanak Sahib—“Suffering is the medicine, pleasure the disease because where there is pleasure, there is no desire for God.” दुःख दारू सुख रोग भया जा सुख ताम न होई (page 469)

The poet seeks Divine Grace that his journey of self-realization may not get entangled in a web of temporal gratifications with angelic beauties that may defeat the very purpose of his inner endeavor.

3.            कभी छोड़ी हुई मंज़िल भी याद आती है राही को

खटक (attention) सी है जो सीने में ग़म-ए-मंज़िल (sorrowful destination) न बन जाए

The pilgrim’s mind can dwell at times on spots and stages left behind:
My heed for spots and places crossed, From the Quest may turn my mind! (internet)

Here reference is to the संस्कार (sanskaras) or the strong impressions on mind of past lives. Should old memories of past lives flash upon my mind—like a traveler who sometimes cherishes events of life with (longing of) nostalgia and those may compel me to return to my old ego-self. In mysticism the path of God realization is so fragile and vacillating that higher the level of consciousness, the greater is the danger of slipping back. As a paradigm it is analogous to game of snake and ladder where a player (aspirant) can be bitten by a snake at level 98 which may bring him back to zero level. Such misadventures manifest as fake ego, demonstrative knowledge, arrogance and bragging about spiritual attainments. Such issues negate devotional pursuits of  yearners.

4.            बनाया इश्क़ ने दरिया-ए-ना-पैदा- कराँ (river without shore) मुझ को

ये मेरी ख़ुद-निगह-दारी ( self-importance) मिरा साहिल (shore) न बन जाए

The surging ocean of my Passion-Spiritual enraptures my eye evermore
What if my Narcissism beguiles me away to some placid lifeless shore?(internet)

Love is God and God is love. Thus sublime love (Ishq-Hakiki) and God are one except that human psyche carries a veil of personal individuality—also called duality, ego, hoame, takabbur, or groor or anaah. Such a veil is unveiled by blessings of the Divine. 

The poetic expression is --- I am afloat in the ocean of boundless love whose shores are non-existent. My own sense of pride/ individuality may not expose me to duality in which the infinite expanse of Divinity is seen limited--within shores. That will mean denial of the blessings by my own inflated self.

5.            कहीं इस आलम-ए-बे-रंग-ओ-बू (meaningless world devoid of color and smell) में भी तलब मेरी

वही अफ़्साना-ए-दुंबाला-ए-महमिल ( continuing story of camel’s journey) न बन जाए

The mystic in Iqbal, having realised the futility of illusion of life, mentions the so called colours and smells of the world as fake imagery of colourless and smell-less existence. The pull of illusive reality may not bog him down to aimless wandering like a camel tied with a palanquin in the vastness of a desert. 

6              उरूज-ए-आदम-ए-ख़ाकी (pinnacle attained by dust of Adam) से अंजुम (stars) सहमे (scared) जाते हैं

कि ये टूटा हुआ तारा मह-ए-कामिल (full moon) न बन जाए

Human being is acknowledged as the “crown of the creation” as per the Divine design or “ashraf-ul-makhlooqat”. Mythlogically, all  angels were directed by God to bow before man made from clay--the element of earth.  All mighty stars (angels’ gods, goddesses) are scared from the pinnacle of glory accorded to man.

 Upon Divine realization, the same man, (fleeting star of clay)  will manifest as Lord—symbolised as Moon-- that carries greater brightness than stars or may eclipse the entire constellations or other godly entities.